The Las Vegas Raiders took a big risk when they selected Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With plenty of other holes in the roster, many felt that taking a running back was a luxury pick, and the Raiders needed more substance.
But they also had to patch up the worst running back room in the league from last year, and there was no better way to do that than by taking a young generational prospect. Between Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, it seemed like this would be a run-heavy offense built around Jeanty.
After two weeks, however, this has been far from the case. Jeanty's usage has been inconsistent, and the rookie running back has struggled to find a rhythm as a result. After averaging nearly 200 yards per contest last year, Jeanty has just 81 total rushing yards in his first two NFL games.
Chip Kelly ripped by Boise State reporter for Ashton Jeanty usage
This production level has been largely due to poor offensive line play, but Kelly is also coming under fire for how exactly Jeanty is being used. Boise State beat writer B.J. Rains has also noticed this, and he had some harsh words on social media for Kelly, in particular, during the Raiders' Week 2 game.
"Chip Kelly does not know how to use Ashton Jeanty. This is brutal to watch."Boise State reporter B.J. Rains
While it has been brutal to watch, at times, and incredibly frustrating for Raider Nation, it has only been two games, and there is no need to freak out. There is a big jump from the Mountain West to the NFL, and steep learning curves are expected for all rookies anyway.
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Plus, there are so many new and moving pieces in Las Vegas that everything simply cannot click in the first few weeks. Still, Rains sent out another post on social media later in the game, this time, seemingly criticizing the Raiders as a whole.
"I feel bad for Ashton Jeanty. This just looks like a horrible situation for him," Rains wrote. "I hope I’m overreacting. I really do. Because this has been awful on every level."
Obviously, Rains is overreacting. Several other rookie running backs are hitting early speed bumps in their careers as well, so Jeanty is far from the only player affected, and the Raiders are not the only team dealing with these issues.
Jeanty will figure things out in Las Vegas, as all parties seem dead set on finding a solution and getting the young player going. When he eventually does, Boise State reporters like Rains will owe Chip Kelly an apology.